


clarity regained

by Zekkass



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M, Nonstandard interfacing, Post-Season/Series 02 AU, Trust, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 03:52:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8474323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zekkass/pseuds/Zekkass
Summary: Every since the crash on Earth, Megatron has been acting erratically. Soundwave could only wait and watch as his leader descended further into madness - until now.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I set out to write some Megatron/Soundwave smut and got sidetracked by my own headcanons and world-building, oops. If something doesn't jive with G1 canon, it's because I made it up. Hopefully it's still an enjoyable read!

His cassetticons: dismissed, on duty. Starscream: out flying, ostensibly scouting a previously unexplored region. Other Decepticons: on duty, off-duty, in no position to interrupt.

Megatron: waiting for him.

Soundwave leaves his duty-station, handing his shift off to Reflector as he departs the Nemesis' bridge, making his way down dark corridors to Megatron's quarters. The door opens at his prompting, and locks behind him.

Megatron is standing in front of a projected image of Cybertron on the far wall. He does not turn or otherwise evince his awareness of Soundwave's presence. Instead he tilts his head back slightly, further examining Cybertron's surface - the detailing in this image is perfect, taken from one of the interplanetary scout craft that had once been common, before the war had decimated their ranks.

Soundwave is familiar with this image; he has a copy of it stored in his memory banks. It shows a Cybertron ravaged by war, with massive craters dotting its surface and wreckage heaped near what were formerly great cities. It shows the billowing clouds over the Sea of Rust, even the faint dots of seeker trines in the air over the ruins of Vos.

The mech who took this picture was scouting for an outpost of anti-air artillery units, produced in the underground factories of Kaon. The mech who took this picture...is dead now, caught by Astrotrain as he returned from a supply run, navigating the ring of debris surrounding Cybertron with ease.

Soundwave had pulled the image and others from that mech's processors. Megatron, in the ensuing briefing, had requested a copy of that visual for his personal files.

Megatron turns to Soundwave, finally fixing him with his piercing glare.

"This planet: possesses heavy cloud cover. A similar image: impossible." Soundwave answers the unspoken question. "Additionally: only mech with comparable optical sensors: Autobot."

Soundwave awaits the customary order to perform the impossible - Megatron's demands have become irrational as the months on this planet wear on. His temper - erratic. Worrying. Not that it's Soundwave's place to point this out to his leader, when they simply don't possess the facilities or skilled mechs required to do anything about it.

That, and Megatron's aware of his own glitches.

The order never comes. Megatron's optics narrow, and Soundwave resists the temptation to direct his sensors for a more specific reading of his leader.

"This situation can't go on," Megatron says, and he moves, turning the visual off and pulling up one image - at a far lower resolution. It is an image of Sol-3, taken by one of the resident aliens with their own primitive technology. It shows - a vibrant organic planet, with a complex and dangerous ecosystem, so easily destroyed.

It will not exist as it does in a mere passing of years, even if they leave without waging any war here.

"The Autobots will die defending this planet," Megatron says. Soundwave nods, mute agreement. "Which puts the advantage in our hands, if we pass up the resources this planet offers."

Soundwave nods again, refusing to dare hope that his leader has seen sense at long last. Worrying, in a distant part of his processors, that something new has glitched.

"Those pathetic Autobots built a second starship to carry them back to Cybertron," Megatron says, information Soundwave already knows. "They abandoned it to stop us from taking his planet for our own, and now we are losing the war."

Harsh words. Soundwave continues to stand still and silent, waiting for his leader to share his conclusions.

Megatron moves now, slamming a hand into his console before he turns back to Soundwave.

"We have to cripple that ship before we leave for Cybertron. The Autobots _must_ be stranded here if we are to have any hope of surviving."

Soundwave turns his focus from Megatron to that grainy visual projected on the wall, and understands.

"Query: planet-cracker, explosive at planet's core, other device?"

It isn't the first time they've tried to destroy this planet and harvest the energy from its destruction. It is the first time Megatron's come to him with the plan and been less-than-enthused about it. Even with his sensors turned down as per usual he can detect Megatron's upset anger.

It reminds him of Cybertron, of the time before they came here.

Megatron doesn't answer at first. Soundwave takes the opportunity to tune his sensors to Megatron's frequency, intrude where he isn't always welcome - 

For the first time since they died and were rebuilt by Teletraan-1, he doesn't detect any active glitches. Megatron's gaze snaps to his, and narrows again.

"Self-repair," he says. "Assisted by an unknowing Vortex. You'll confirm the deletion of those memory files."

"Affirmative," Soundwave says, and allows his field to extend, openly relieved. A solution, one that his leader found before he did - one resolving their most worrying problem - 

"Teletraan-1 deserves a painful termination," Megatron growls, and it's reassuring to hear those words. If Megatron can risk the mere mention of his condition - it is truly gone.

"Starscream: will be disappointed."

"Not that he knows," Megatron says, and he grins fiercely. "Now. We need to plan a strike on the Autobot's starship, and the subtle movement of our forces off of this planet. Shockwave informs me that he has enough reserves to power solar converters, and with space-bridge technology we are equipped to move on from this unfortunate rock."

Soundwave can't help himself: he touches Megatron's cheek in an impulsive gesture, visor flashing with unrestrained emotion. Months - years - of crazier and crazier plans. Of following a leader spiraling out of control.

And now - 

Victory.

Megatron seizes his hand, drags him in for a crushing mingling of fields, the closest intimacy they share. As a weapon Megatron possesses no interface array. As a mere communications tower, Soundwave has only ports and cables and his sensors.

Today - Megatron drags him to the berth, field alive with interest and hunger.

Soundwave goes, plating loosening and sensors turning up as Megatron explores his frame with his fingers and optics - whatever he feels cannot be as sensitive as Soundwave's sensors, but his optics are bright.

Megatron's frame quivers as he takes in the sight of Soundwave, likely seeing his EM field, his physical frame, his spark with equal intensity, and his fingers dig into his plating and seek out wires that make Soundwave call out with silent pleasure. The crack that builds and snaps over his frame has nowhere to go - except into Megatron, when he's prepared for it.

Soundwave arches and digs his fingers into the berth, then into Megatron's arms as he allows himself to touch his leader. His grip loosens so he can exchange the touches, put his hands over Megatron's shoulders and chest and over their shared insignia.

Here and now they are too fervent to truly savor each other or explore territory that hasn't been touched this gently in millennia, but Soundwave cannot regret it - and when he is near to melting his own circuits with his charge Megatron transforms, his altmode landing safely in Soundwave's hands as he draws in their accumulated power.

Megatron faintly vibrates in his hands, then settles as the power sinks into him, ready to be fired - and for that - Soundwave rises, comming their forces. They _know_ where the Autobot ship has been hidden. They _know_ the pattern of Autobot patrols, lured into a false sense of security given how infrequently they strike directly at the Ark.

If Megatron wants to be fired - Soundwave knows where his target is.


End file.
